The present invention relates generally to the sport of bowling and more specifically to a device that allows people in wheelchairs to bowl.
Bowling is a well known sport that is enjoyed by people of all ages and experiences. Bowling is an indoor game in which players roll balls along a runway called an alley, in an attempt to knock over ten uprights, called pins, in the fewest possible rolls. The balls, alley, and pins may be made of wood or synthetic materials. The game, sometimes called tenpins, is popular mainly in the United States and Canada. A variant known as skittles is played in Germany, where it is thought the game originated.
In 1895 the American Bowling Congress (ABC) was formed and established rules and specifications, which, with few modifications, have been observed ever since. The ABC supervises the activities of thousands of bowling groups and holds an annual championship tournament in which titles are awarded to teams and individuals. In addition, the Women""s International Bowling Congress, organized in 1916, holds similar annual tournaments for women. The Young American Bowling Alliance governs the sport for youths.
The game is played on a level alley 41xe2x80x3 to 42xe2x80x3 (inches) wide, measuring 60 ft. from the center of the first, or head, pin to the foul line behind which the bowler must release the ball. The approach to the foul line consists of a runway of at least 15 ft. on which the player may take several steps before releasing the ball. Less than 2xe2x80x3 back of the last row of pins is a padded pit that receives the balls and overturned pins. The pins are placed on pin spots about 2.3xe2x80x3 in diameter (the size of the bottom of the pin) and 12xe2x80x3 apart from center to center. The pins form a triangle consisting of four rows, the first of which consists of a single pin. The pins are 15xe2x80x3 in height, with a minimum weight of 3 lbs. The neck of a pin is narrow and the sides taper slightly to the base. The bowling ball must not exceed 27xe2x80x3 in circumference and 16 lbs. in weight, but smaller sizes and weights are permissible. The ball usually contains three finger holes.
The game may be played by any number of contestants. Each player rolls in turn (called a frame), attempting to knock down all the pins with two balls rolled one at a time. If the player knocks down all ten pins with the first ball, the player is credited with a xe2x80x9cstrike,xe2x80x9d and adds the ten points thus scored to the number of points made on the next two balls the player rolls. If the player knocks down some of the pins with one ball and the remaining pins with the second ball, a xe2x80x9csparexe2x80x9d is scored, and to the ten points thus scored the player adds the points gained on the first ball rolled by that player during the next frame. Ten frames for each player constitute a game; and the highest score possible is 300.
Enthusiasm for bowling has steadily increased since about 1952 with the introduction of automatic pinspotters that quickly reset the pins after each frame, and later, with the introduction of automatic scoring devices. Today, bowling ranks among the most popular participant sports in the world. More than 100 million people in 80 countries participate in bowling.
A prior invention that extended the joy of bowling to a person in a wheelchair was a free standing metal stand that provided two rails on which the bowler would roll the ball. This metal stand did not attach to the wheelchair and limited the bowler""s control of the roll. The bowler neither controlled the placement nor the facing direction of the stand simply by positioning her wheelchair.
The present Roller Bowler 2000 allows a person in a wheelchair to enjoy the sport of bowling. The Roller Bowler 2000 comprises a ramp that can be removeably attached to a wheelchair. The ramp provides a flat upper portion on which the bowler can rest a bowling ball before pushing it along a selected path down the ramp. The ramp is general flat and has two main curves giving it a xe2x80x9cSxe2x80x9d shape. The bowling ball is pushed over the first curve and picks up speed as it travels generally downward toward the floor. The ball then travels over the second curve which provides a gentle transition from the ramp to the bowling alley. When the ramp is attached to the wheelchair, the bowler is free to position herself anywhere on the bowling alley floor she chooses. In the preferred embodiment, the ramp is two feet wide and the bowler may initiate her roll from multiple positions on the upper portion of the ramp.
The present bowling ramp can be attached to the wheelchair by adjustable clamps that clamp on to both side panel armrests of the wheelchair. Bumpers, or raised edges, are included along both longitudinal sides of the ramp to prevent the bowling ball from falling off a side edge while traveling down the ramp. A back edge bumper made of a soft material like foam rubber keeps the ball from rolling backwards onto the bowler and also provides a soft armrest for the bowler. The bowling ramp can maintain a constant width or may alternatively become more narrow or wider as it extends from the upper portion.